Commonwealth leaders say “time has come” for discussion on slavery reparations
Apia, Samoa Reuters Commonwealth leaders, ending a week-long summit in Samoa, said on Saturday the time had come for a discussion on whether Britain should commit to reparations for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery and the threat of climate change were major themes for representatives of the 56 countries in the group, […]
King Charles III acknowledges Commonwealth’s “painful” history with slavery on summit agenda
Updated: 7:45am, 26th October (AEST) Apia, Samoa Reuters King Charles III said on Friday the Commonwealth should acknowledge its “painful” history, as African and Caribbean nations push for reparations for Britain’s role in transatlantic slavery. Representatives of 56 countries, most with roots in Britain’s empire, are attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that began […]
Commonwealth nations to discuss slavery, climate change at Samoa summit
Updated: 5pm (AEDT) Apia, Samoa Reuters The leaders of the Commonwealth group of nations will meet at a welcome banquet in Samoa in the South Pacific on Thursday, with climate change and reparations for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade on the agenda of summit discussions. Leaders and officials from 56 countries with roots […]
Samoa resumes leadership battle as United Nations offers to help
Sydney, Australia Reuters The United Nations has urged political leaders in Samoa to resolve a political crisis through dialogue after contested election results left the South Pacific nation with two leaders claiming to run the country. FAST party leader Fiame Naomi Mataafa was set to become Samoa’s first female prime minister with a court-approved one-seat […]
Ousted Samoa PM refuses to cede power, despite election loss
Canberra, Australia Reuters Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said on Monday he would remain in office, despite an order by the country’s Supreme Court that lawmakers sit to appoint a new leader. Samoa’s Supreme Court last week overruled an attempt by the head of state Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II to void April’s election results […]
Decorated with butterflies, infant-sized coffins sent to measles-ravaged Samoa
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Volunteers in the New Zealand city of Rotorua are preparing two dozen white-lined coffins to be transported to Samoa at the end of the week as the measles-ravaged Pacific island nation languishes under a growing death toll that has now hit 70. The smallest of the coffins, designed for the bodies of babies, […]
Samoa fights measles door-to-door in battle on anti-vaccination messages
Sydney, Australia Reuters Samoa on Thursday closed all non-essential public and private services for two days to combat a measles epidemic that has killed more than 60 people, mostly babies and children, in a battle complicated by a vocal anti-vaccination movement. The measles virus has infected more than 4,200 in the South Pacific nation of […]
Fiji to postpone sports contests as it battles measles outbreak
Reuters Fiji has asked its sports federations to postpone all competitions until January, in a bid to rein in the spread of a measles outbreak that has killed dozens in the neighbouring Pacific nation of Samoa. The highly infectious disease has been crossing the globe, recently finding a susceptible population in Samoa, where the official […]
Samoa in Christmas lockdown as measles deaths top 50
Wellington, New Zealand/Sydney, AustraliaReuters The small Pacific island nation of Samoa has closed schools and is restricting travel ahead of the Christmas holiday season as the death toll from a measles outbreak tops 50, in the latest flare-up of a global epidemic of the virus. The highly infectious disease has been crossing the globe, recently […]